Poet Al Mahmud dies at 82

Legendary poet Al Mahmud has died at Ibn Sina Hospital in Dhaka's Dhanmondi. He was 82.

He died at 11:05pm Friday night, his son-in-law Md Salahuddin told Bangla Tribune.

The poet was taken to life support at 11pm.

Earlier, he was admitted to Ibn Sina on February 9. At the hospital he was placed in the intensive care unit (ICU), under the supervision of Dr Abdul Hye.

Al Mahmud’s close friend and assistant Abid Azim told reporters that the poet had been suffering from multiple old-age complications for a long time.

Mir Abdus Shukur Al Mahmud, best known as Al Mahmud, was a poet, novelist, and short-story writer.

Al Mahmud is considered to be one of the greatest Bangali poets to have emerged in the 20th century. His work in Bangla poetry is dominated by his frequent use of regional dialects.

In the 1950s, Al Mahmud was among those Bangali poets who were outspoken in their writing on such issues as the Language Movement, nationalism, political and economic repression, and the struggle against the West Pakistani government.

Al Mahmud was born in Morail village of Brahmanbaria on July 11, 1936. His childhood and secondary education was completed in his village, adjacent to Brahmanbaria town. He started his career as a journalist and obtained widespread recognition after “Lok Lokantor” was published in 1963.

His books Kaler Kalash (1966), Sonali Kabin (1966), Mayabi Porda Dule Otho (1969) cemented his place among the most powerful poets of contemporary Bangla literature. In 1993, his first novel, Kobi o Kolahol was published.

Al Mahmud had been honoured with the Ekushey Padak, the Bangla Academy Award, and the Kabi Jasim Uddin Award in recognition of his contribution to Bangla literature.